PIX #2 - Isabelle (Foster) Ash photographed with her husband
Charles Ash at time of marriage in 1883

PIX #3 - Sampson and Margaret Foster

Most readers know about the Charle W. Foster family, who
with the Crockers, settled in Loudon Township in 1832 and organized
Rome, eventually to join with Risdon to become Fostoria.

Another Foster family, Christian the father, settled in
1829 in what became Jackson Township. In 1933, when the township was
organized, it was Christian who named it.

In Potluck (Nov. 29, 1981), I said I would attempt to
clarify the relationship between the two families, if any. It can now
be said with certainty that there was none.

Ethel (Reese) Ash, wife of deceased Earl, told me on several
occasions that when Annie and the other descendents of Charles Foster
were still living. Earl would often to go town to visit hos "cousins".
I also knew that Earl Ash's mother was a Foster and was one of the Fosters
buried in Zion Cemetery.

QUESTION RESOLVED

At that point I consulted Jesse Myers, Toledo, grandson
of Charles Foster. He said he wasn't aware of any other Fosters in this
area who were relatives. Mary Fish, who has researched the Charles W.
Foster family, also said there was no relationship between the two families,
but she did not have avaiable evidence at hand to confirm it. It was
Willis Wyant, another local geneology researcher, who provided the reference
in Beers History of Seneca County (1886) which said... "Christian and
Mary (Groves) Foster, the former of German and the latter of English
extraction..." Since the Charles W. Foster family originated in England,
and those of today's story in Germany, the uncertainty of any relationship
between that two can now be put to rest.

'KISSIN' COUSINS

Earl Ash, who was a descendent of the Christian Foster
family, undoubtedly elected to refer to the Fostoria Fosters as "cousins"
in a jovial, friendly manner...one of Earl's characteristics.

Since the other Foster family of today's story contributed
greatly to their country and to this area, it is important to provide
details about them.

VIRGINIA FOSTERS

Christian Foster was born in the Shenandoah Valley, VA.,
in 1796. He died at age 77, Sept. 27, 1873, and is buried in Zion Cemetery,
east of Fostoria. His wife, Mary, born 1802, died at age 73, March 4,
1875. Christian's father William, was active in the Revolutionary War,
and was a Lutheran minister at that time.

At age 16, Christian enlisted with the Virginia troops
to fight the English and the Indians in the Northwest Territory (War
of 1812). He was stationed at Fort Ball, near Tiffin, and was so impressed
with the area that he later moved with his young family, consisting
of wife Mary and four children, to the area which later became Jackson
Township.

The Christian Foster family did not come directly from
Virginia to thia area.

TO OHIO IN 1829

"Making the journey to Ohio in a covered wagon, they settled
on the bank of Wolf Creek in 1829, near three large oak trees", so the
old records say. They unloaded their earthly good and built a log cabin.
They were the fifth family to enter government land in Jackson Township.

Their log cabin on Wolf Creek became part of the German
settlement which located in that area, and where Rev. Adolph Conrad
organized the first church and school in 1838, to became known as Zion.

JONAS FOURTH CHILD

Unknown is how many of the Christian Foster family were
boys and girls, and what part each plated in the history of Jacson Township.
The only one mentioned in old records was Jonas, the fouth child. by
1842, at age 16, Jonas had acquired his education in the one-room school
and had learned the carpenter trade and farming. His father gave him
40 acres of wild land, which he improved and added to ut until he owned
200 acres.

He married Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael
Stahl, and had 10 children.

In 1861, when Fort Sumpter was fired on, Jonas rode by
horse to Fostoria to join the Army in defense of his country. He first
enlisted in the 21st Ohio Volunteer Infanctry. he became a lieutenant
and later was promoted to captain. He was wounded at Mission Ridge and
in 1864 resigned. Returning home, his health was broken and he was no
longer able to do hard work.

JOINED METHODISTS

In Jonas' early life, he had been a Lutheran and attended
the Zion Church. After returning from service, he joined a group which
founded and built Zion Chapel Methodist Protestant Church. It was that
church which was believed to have been located in the building south
of Zion Lutheran Church, mentioned in Potluck feedback Nov. 25, 1981.

Estell Saalman, 11007 Columbus Ave., owned and lived in
that property from 1954-69. Saalman says during a remodeling program,
they discovered under five coats of wallpaper that the walls and ceiling
were decorated to resemble a church. They also found a small tabernacle
which had hung on the wall of that room. Records for the property dated
back to 1872. That date would seem to support the story of the formation
of the Zion Chapel MP Church after Jonas returned from service.

JONAS DIES 1895

Jonas Foster died in 1895 and was buried in Zion Cemetery
with all the other members of the Foster family. The imposing tombstone
which marks his burial site indicates he was captain of the Masonic
Lodge.

BROTHERS MARRIED SISTERS

Another one of Christian Fosters sons was Sampson. He
married Margaret Stahl. Jonas Foster married Elizabeth Stahl; the brothers
married sisters.

To the union of Sampson and Margaret was born Isabelle
who married Charles Ash. And to that union was born Earl, Herbert, Carmen,
William and Rebecca, the last two dying dying in infancy. Carmen (Ash)
Lyons is the only living member of that family. She lived in the house
in Amsden, built by her grandfather William Ash in 1861. In that house
Charles Ash married Isabelle Foster in 1883.

STAHL-FOSTER LINK

The two Stahl sisters who married the Foster brothers
were daughters of Michael and Sarah (Hampshire) Stahl.

Jonas Foster and wife had 10 children, while Sampson Foster
and wife had seven children. A number of children in both families died
in infancy or very young.

From the marriages of Stahls, Fosters, Ashes and other
early settlers in Jackson Township came other unions, such as the Rinebolds,
Goods, Kissabeths, Walters, Boyds, Dicken, Lemons, and Bennetts, many
of which became successful farmers and business people in Fostoria and
surrounding areas.

The accompanying photos were provided by Mrs. Earl Ash
from the collection of her deceased husband.

Sherman and Grant Foster, shown in the group photo, were
bachelors each living alone.

The story is told that Grant was continually bombarded
by car salesmen, even though he didn't have any interest in a car. Finally,
he bought one to escape their sales pitch.

On the way home with the new car, he ahd an accident.
Arriving home he put the car in the barn and never drove it again. At
his death the car still sat in the garage, and Earl Ash, who settled
the estate, practically gave it away to some kids, according to Ethel
Ash.

Ellen (Foster) Flack, shown in the group photo, lived
to a ripe old age, in her last years at Good Shepherd Home.